Funding Sources: (state agency) Department of Rehabilitation Services with Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind;http://www.ct.gov/besb/site/default.asp and some grants and fundraising events
Eligibility: legally blind and deaf, including low vision. New additional group requested by BESB is work in progress: Blind and Hard of Hearing
Number of Individuals Served: 22
Preferred Terminology: SSP (CN is new to many of the DeafBlind Community here)
Certification/Endorsement: yes, training CEUs are provided if training is done by the Helen Keller National Center and/or other certified trainers.
Types of Service Requests: Support Service Providers (SSP), and deaf-blind services including monthly deaf-blind support group with guest speakers
Training Requirements: Knowledge of ASL is preferred but not required; be familiar in the area of deaf-blind services; and to be able to work with hard of hearing deaf-blind consumers by using oral communication or other modes of communication.
Program Coordination: part-time SSP program coordination
Transportation: Transportation is provided by SSPs.
SSP Pay Rate: New SSPs (#1099 employees are paid $17.50/hr plus IRS mileage rates. Veteran SSPs are paid $18-20/hr depending on college degrees plus IRS mileage rates.